LeBron 'Extremely Nervous' about Living Up to Jordan in Space Jam Sequel

Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander, Sonequa Martin-Green, Director Malcolm D. Lee and singer John Legend pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander, Sonequa Martin-Green, Director Malcolm D. Lee and singer John Legend pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
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LeBron 'Extremely Nervous' about Living Up to Jordan in Space Jam Sequel

Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander, Sonequa Martin-Green, Director Malcolm D. Lee and singer John Legend pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Cast members Lebron James, Don Cheadle, Ceyair Wright, Harper Alexander, Sonequa Martin-Green, Director Malcolm D. Lee and singer John Legend pose as they attend the premiere for the film Space Jam: A New Legacy in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

It's been 25 years since basketball legend Michael Jordan walked off the court into his own movie in 'Space Jam'.

Now, the ball has been lobbed to LeBron James, who like Jordan, enters the world of the Loony Tunes alongside cartoon icons Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Reuters reported.

'Space Jam: A New Legacy' premiered on Monday at the L.A. Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles, where James spoke to reporters about stepping into Jordan's sneakers.

"I was extremely nervous to even redo this film," he said.

"But I put my heart into it, I put my looniness into it obviously with the Tunes and committed to it. I'm excited for what people are actually going to see."

The purple carpet was filled with celebrities, from Zendaya, who voices Lola Bunny, and Don Cheadle, who plays villain Al G.

Rhythm, to John Legend and G-Eazy, who have tracks on the film's score.

Basketball stars Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis also attended the premiere.

More family-orientated than the original 'Space Jam', this sequel sees James try to rescue his son Dom (Cedric Joe) by winning a basketball game with Bugs Bunny, voiced by Jeff Bergman.

When asked how this differed from the first film, Sonequa Martin-Green, who co-stars as James' wife, said she had grown up with that movie.

"I think that film was very important and necessary for that time and so I'm hoping that this film does the same thing," she said. "I hope it brings people together because I think it has everything it needs to be a new classic."

James was also conscious of the legacy of this release, adding: "I hope I continue to make Michael proud. He's someone I looked up to as a kid and hopefully this is another step in that direction."

'Space Jam: A New Legacy' is released in cinemas and streams on HBO Max from Friday.



Trial Begins in Paris over 2016 Gunpoint Robbery of Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Kim Kardashian attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Trial Begins in Paris over 2016 Gunpoint Robbery of Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Kim Kardashian attends the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Ten suspects go on trial in Paris on Monday over the 2016 robbery of the US celebrity Kim Kardashian, which saw some $10 million worth of jewelry stolen from the reality TV star and influencer.

Kardashian, now 44 -- who left Paris traumatized hours after the robbery on the night of October 2-3, 2016 -- is due to testify at the trial on May 13 in a court appearance that will be a major event in itself.

Those on trial are mainly men in their 60s and 70s with previous criminal records and underworld nicknames like "Old Omar" and "Blue Eyes" that recall the old-school French bandits of 1960s and 1970s film noirs, AFP said.

Kardashian, then 35, was threatened with a gun to the head and tied up with her mouth taped up. The theft was the biggest against a private individual in France in the past 20 years.

The trial will also go into how the perpetrators received the information as to where Kardashian was staying during Paris Fashion Week, and picked the very moment when her bodyguard was absent, accompanying her sister Kourtney to a night club.

It is thought Kardashian's frequent posts about her wealth, personal life and whereabouts may have facilitated the perpetrators' actions. The trial gets under way from 1230 GMT.

Haul never recovered

The star was staying at an exclusive hotel in central Paris favored by celebrities when two armed and masked men stormed into her room at around 3:00 am after arriving at the establishment by bicycle.

They shouted that they wanted the diamond engagement ring from her now ex-husband, the US rapper Kayne West.

Kardashian had been showing it off on her social media channels -- it alone was valued at $4 million (3.5 million euros).

They made off with the ring among $10 million worth of jewels.

The only item recovered was a diamond necklace dropped in the street while the thieves escaped.

It all lasted just 10 minutes, with Kardashian's bodyguard arriving to rescue his client after he was alerted.

The suspects were arrested three months after the robbery, through DNA evidence.

But the gold seized was apparently melted down and investigators, who took hundreds of thousands of euros from the suspects when they were arrested, believe that much of the stolen haul was sold in Belgium.

'Easy' heist

Twelve suspects were charged, with 10 going on trial from Monday. One died in March this year and another is to be tried separately for health reasons.

"It wasn't a major armed robbery" but an "easy" heist, said the main suspect, Aomar Ait Khedache, 68, known as "Old Omar". His DNA from the scene helped investigators find him and the co-defendants.

He admitted tying up Kardashian, but disputes investigators' claims that he was the mastermind behind the robbery.

He says he was approached by an unnamed "sponsor" who suggested the scheme on behalf of an "informant" very close to the star, who then gave them the green light.

According to his lawyer, Khedache now has severe hearing and speaking problems and can only express himself in writing.

Another key suspect is Didier Dubreucq, 69, known as "Blue Eyes", accused of being the second person who stormed into Kardashian's room. He denies the charges.

Yunice Abbas, 71, meanwhile stayed in the lobby while the two other men went up to her room, it is alleged.

He controversially sought to capitalize on the crime by writing a book titled: "I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian".

Others on trial are accused of being facilitators and informants, including Gary Madar, the brother of Kardashian's long-serving Paris driver.

He is accused of supplying information about her movements, which he denies.

Despite the "media hype", the trial "must allow for calm debates", warned one of the defense lawyers, Margot Pugliese.

The trial is due to last until May 23.